Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-09-24
miscellaneous.
The Potato Rot.

maladies Affecting any OF our Iarm crops,
and this season, in consequence of the pre-
valence of the rot throughout our state, and
generally in all sections of the country.
farmers are again brought face to face
with the ravages ofthe disease and the loss
occasioned thereby.
The rot first broke out with great and
widespread violence in Ireland in 1S45.
1t is believed to have originated in the
island of St. Helena in 1910, and appeared
the following year in England. In 1S45
it swept over whole districts throughout
Europe, leaving in its track devastation,
famine. suffering and human misery.
Even 80 late as 1879, the loss occasioned
by the disease in Ireland alone is repre-
sented by six millions sterling of money,
and the statement is made by the Regis
trar- General and published in the agricul-
tural returns of Great Britain for 1880;
although Prof. James Baldwin places the
loss that year in ireland at eight millions
sterling In 1847-two years after the ter
rible famine in Ireland caused by the dis
ease, the late Mr.. Alfred Since. an emil
nent microscopic then making microscop-
ic investigations for the Bank of England,
turned his attention to the disease and de-
voted many years of patient research to
its nature He called the disease mortifi-
cation or gangrene, and the book which
he published relating his studies, although
quite obsolete is one of great merit. AL
though vast learning has been brought to
bear upon the disease, its nature and the
means employed for its prevention or cure,
it shows how little human science has ac-
complished toward this end, in that the
disease is to day as destructive and as I'M
certain in its appearance, and almost as
little is known of the conditions which in
duce or prevent it as was the case forty
years ago. We have been able to master
diseases in animals and to some extent in
some of our cultivated crops, to prevent
the loss occasioned by destructive blights
and insect pests, but with single excep-
ton. The potato rot is still uncontrolled
and we know but little more about it than
we ever did.
1t is theory with many vegetable phys
| biologists that there is such a thing as a
normal balance of health in vegetation,
and that atmospheric or climatic influences
must be all-important factors in the main
tenance or disturbance of any such bal
ance When a season induces rampant
growth in PLAINTIFF potato for example
the abundance of foliage runs away, so to
plant, as the root or tubers, the balance is
disturbed, the plant breaks down, there is
capsize and disaster. Farmers have
long known that rich soil is not IA
vorable for the potato there is
over luxuriance of growth, and following
this disease. The testimony of all that
has appeared upon the subject goes to
show that the cultivated potato has an
inherent tendency to degenerate; it is in
its wild conditions poisonous plant
that the plant appears vigorous. When
forced. grown on uncongenial soils, or
under conditions not completely favorable
disease Immediately affects the foliage.
extends down the stem to the tubers and
the potatoes rot.
The great chemist Liebig maintained
that The potato was of all the vegetables
most liable to suffer from an interrupted
TRANSMISSION of the sap in the vines and
leaves, and he argued that the same at
mospheric influences which caused in.
fiuenza in human beings by checking the
normal action of the skin, would produce
similar condition in certain vegetables.
1t is a we'll known fact that the influenza
in horses and the potato rot made their
appearance in Yorkshire, England, the
same year. Those conditions of atmos-
phere which develope the potato-rot are
believed to be wet summer followed by
great heat.
1t is well known, both as regards plants
and animals, that in a WELL strong, healthy
organism, parasitic or abnormal growth
never takes place--throughout the whole OF
nature, disease and foreign -growths
invariably attack the feeble; they are
never found in perfectly health condition
of the system-tissues. In the potato this
disease is due to sudden climatic changes
which are fitted for the termination of
the lowering and omnipresent seeds or
spores, and all epidemics in plants or
animals are subject to sudden and rapid
progress, when the conditions are favora-
BILE. Prof. Tvndsll says the rot in pota-
toes, which in the early history of the dis
ease was called 'murrain" or plague ~
may be compared (and the analogy will
hold good) to blood poisoning in animals.
Given the condition to invite the growth of
mould, be it cheese or potato. there
lowering over and about it are the spores
or seeds of the disease which are ready to
fasteu upon it.-"where the carcass is, the
eagles are gathered together"
The one great discovery pertaining to
tba osture of the notato rot which scienoe